Boat troller



May 3, 1955 o. H. KAHLER ,707,348

BOAT TROLLER Filed lay 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 34 Oscar H. Kan/er INVENTOR.

May 3, 1955 o. H. KAHLER 2,707,348

BOAT TROLLER Filed May 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 42 Fig. 8

40 Oscar H. Kali/e! a INVENTOR.

g 2 BY 4 MFMMF Unite States This invention relates in general to trolling devices for supporting a trolling line in a substantially fixed spaced relation to a support, such as a fishing boat.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved trolling device which provides a suitable support for a trolling line at a desired distance from a boat or the line whereby the trolling line may be supported out of the wake of a boat or away from a shore line in order to eliminate entanglement of the trolling line as Well as to improve the chances of catching fish.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved trolling device which includes a plurality of identical pontoons secured together by a plurality of identical elongated rods, said pontoons and rods being adapted to be assembled in various manners to produce various results.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved trolling device which includes a plurality of pontoons secured together by elongated rods, each of said pontoons being provided with an elongated keel on the lower portion thereof for urging the pontoons outwardly away from a heat to which they may be attached.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved trolling device which includes three pontoons secured together to form a triangular arrangement, the relative positions of the pontoons being variable in order to vary the pull exerted by the pontoons on a trolling line.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly'pointed out in the'appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings which form a material part of this application and in which:

Figure l is a plan view showing the manner in which the three pontoons may be assembled to be supported from a boat or other suitable support and the position in which a trolling line may be attached thereto;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are plan views of the trolling device, which is the subject of this invention, showing other arrangements of the three pontoons whereby different pulls re exerted upon the trolling line; t Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the pontoons and shows the general construction thereof;

Figure 6 is an enlarged front elevational view of one of the pontoons and shows the general outline thereof and the position in which an elongated keel is secured thereto;

*Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the elongated rods utilized to connect the pontoons together; and

Figure 8 is a plan viewof a trolling arrangement in which only two pontoons are utilized.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the dififerent views of the drawings.

The present trolling device is formed of a plurality of elongated streamlined symmetrical pontoons of circular cross-section which are secured together to form various atet 2,707,348 Patented May 3, 1955 arrangements in order that a trolling line may be carried thereby. Referring to Figure 1 in particular, it will be seen that the trolling device illustrated therein includes a first pontoon 10 which is in spaced parallel relation to a second pontoon 12 and connected thereto by a first pair of elongated rods 14. Positioned rearwardly of the first and second. pontoons 10 and 12 and having a forward portion thereof positioned between the pontoons 10 and 12 is a third pontoon 16 which is connected to the first and second pontoons 1i) and 12, respectively, by second elongated rods 18 and 20, respectively.

Referring now to Figure 5 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a pontoon, which may be considered to be the pontoon 10 inasmuch as the pontoons 10, 12 and 16 are identical. The pontoon 10 is hollow and air tight to be floatable and has secured to the underside thereof an elongated keel 22 which extends downwardly therefrom. The keel 22 is disposed within a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the pontoon 10 and projects a considerable distance below the pontoon. Carried by one side of the pontoon 10 adjacent the forward and rear ends thereof are eyes 24 to which one end of a line may be attached. Projecting upwardly from the center of the pontoon 10 is a vertical standard 26 whose purpose will be explained in more detail hereinafter. Also carried by the upper portion of the pontoon lll adjacent the standard 26 is a pair of studs 28 having wing nuts 30 thrcadedly engaged thereon.

Inasmuch as the pontoons l6, l2 and 16 are identical, it will be understood that their relative positions in the arrangement may be varied and they are referred to by separate reference numerals only to indicate their respective positions with respect to each other. It will be also understood that the elongated rods 14, 18 and 20 are identical and of the same length.

As is best illustrated in Figure 7, there is illustrated one of the elongated rods, which for purpose of description will be considered to be one of the elongated rods 14. The rod 14 is generally tubular and circular in cross section and has flat ends 32. The flat ends 32 are generally circular in plan view and have extending therethrough concentric apertures 34.

Referring once again to Figure 1, it will be seen that the flat end portions 32 of the elongated rods 14, 18 and 26 have passed through their apertures 34- the studs 28 and are secured thereon by the wing nuts 34) associated with the respective studs 28. Secured to the forward eye 24 of the pontoon It is one end of a tow line 36 which has its other end connected to a support (not shown) such as a boat or the like. Also connected to the support is the inner end of a trolling line 33 which passes around the standard 26 of the pontoon 16 and extends rearwardly therefrom.

With the arrangement illustrated in Figure l, a medium pull may be exerted upon the trolling line 38 by the pentoon 16 inasmuch as the longitudinal axis of the ponteen in is substantially half way between the longitudinal axes of the pontoons 10 and 12.

Referring now to Figure 2 it will be seen that the pontoon 1d may be shifted outwardly towards the pontoon 12 by disconnecting the elongated rod 20 from the front stud 23 of the pontoon 16 and connecting the same to the rear stud. By shifting the pontoon 16 closer to the pontoon 12 and retainingthe same relationship between the pontoons 1d and 12, the longitudinal axis of the pontoons 16 is shifted further away from the longitudinal axis of the pontoon ill with the result that a greater lever arm exists and a greater pull may be exerted upon the trolling line 33 without the trolling line pulling the pontoons inwardly towards the support to which the tow line 36 is connected.

Referring now to Figure 3 in particular, it will be seen that when lesser pull on the trolling line 38 is required, the pontoon 16 may be moved inwardly towards the pontoon 10. This is accomplished by disconnecting the elongated rod 18 from the forward stud 28 of the pontoon 16, as is illustrated in Figure 1, and securing the same to the rear stud 28 of the pontoon 16. This moves the longitudinal axis of the pontoon 16 towards the longitudinal axis of the pontoon with the result that a short lever arm exists and the trolling device may be pulled inwardly towards the support by a much smaller pull on the trolling line 38.

When it is desired that the trolling device exert only a very small pulling force on the trolling line 38, the pontoons 10, 12 and 16 of the trolling device are arranged in the manner illustrated in Figure 4. It will be noted that While all of the pontoons are in parallel relation, that the pontoon 12 has been moved rearwardly with respect to the pontoon 10 and that the pontoon 16 is in alignment with the pontoon 10. Inasmuch as the longitudinal axis of the pontoon 16 is now in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the pontoon It the lever arm present to exert a pulling force on the trolling line 38 is the distance the forward eye 24 of the pontoon 10 is offset from the longitudinal axis thereof.

It will be understood that the offset pull of the trolling line 38 with respect to the pull of the tow line 36 results in the slight twisting of the pontoon with respect to the direction of movement of water thereby with the result that the drag exerted by the pontoons and their keels will cause the pontoons to attempt to move outwardly away from their associated support, and that such outward movement results in the trolling device remaining in a position substantially broadside of its support. It

will be understood that the various arrangements are desired in order to provide the required pull for various types of fishing lines wherein the pull of the fishing or trolling lines are varied due to the amount of line let out and the type of lure being pulled thereby. It will be also understood that due to the novel design of the individual pontoons and their relationship to each other that the various arrangements of the trolling device will remain steady on rough water and will not overturn.

Referring now to Figure 8 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a modified form of trolling device which is formed of only a pair of identical pontoons 4t) and 42 which are connected together by a pair of spaced parallel elongated rods 44. It will be understood that the pontoons 40 and 42 are identical to the pontoons 10, 1'2 and 16, and that the elongated rods 44 are identical to the elongated rods 14, 18 and 20. The pontoon 49 is attached to a support by a tow line 46 and the vertical standard 26 of the pontoon 42 has connected thereto a trolling line 48. It will be noted that the trolling line 48 exerts a twisting action on the pontoons 40 and 42 to turn the same at an angle to the flow of water thereby. The resultant drag on the pontoons 40 and 42, and their respective keels causes inward movement of the trolling device in the same manner stated above with regards to the other trolling arrangements.

It will be understood that the relationship of the pontoon 42 with respect to the pontoon 40 may be varied in order to vary the effective lever arm for the pull of the trolling line 48 and that the trolling device comprising the pontoons 40 and 42 will function in substantially the same manner as the trolling devices illustrated in Figures 1 through 4. However, inasmuch as there are only two pontoons, the stability of the trolling device of Figure 8 is not as good as that of the trolling devices illustrated in Figures 1 through 4 with the result that it is used for the lighter type lures.

Minor modifications of the device, varying in minor details from the embodiment of the device illustrated and described here, may be resorted to without depar- 4 ture from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

l. A trolling device comprising first and second pontoons connected together by spaced parallel first elongated rods, a third pontoon connected to said first and second pontoons by second elongated rods, a tow line for securing said first pontoon to a support, a trolling line adapted to be secured to the support, and means for retaining said trolling line on said third pontoon, said second elongated rods being selectively attached to said third pontoon varying the relation of said third pontoon with respect to said first and second pontoons to control the pull exerted on the trolling line.

2. A trolling device comprising first and second pontoons connected together by spaced parallel first elongated rods, a third pontoon connected to said first and second pontoons by second elongated rods, a tow line for securing said first pontoon to a support, a trolling line adapted to be secured to the support, and means for retaining said trolling line on said third pontoon, said third pontoon being provided with a pair of spaced fasteners, said second rods being selectively connected to said fasteners whereby the position of the third pontoon may be varied with respect to the first and second pontoons to control the pull on the trolling line.

3. A trolling device comprising first and second pontoons connected together by spaced parallel first elongated rods, a third pontoon connected to said first and second pontoons by second elongated rods, a tow line for securing said first pontoon to a support, a trolling line adapted to be secured to the support, and means for retaining said trolling line on said third pontoon, said third pontoon being provided with a pair of spaced fasteners, said second rods being selectively connected to said fasteners, and said second rods being adjustably secured to said third pontoon to vary the position of said third pontoon relative to said first and second pontoons to vary the pull on said trolling line.

4. A trolling device comprising first and second pontoons connected together by spaced parallel first elongated rods, a third pontoon connected to said first and second pontoons by second elongated rods, a tow line for securing said first pontoon to a support, a trolling line adapted to be secured to the support, and means for retaining said trolling line on said third pontoon, said third pontoon being provided with a pair of spaced fasteners, said second rods being selectively connected to said fasteners, and said second rods being adjustably secured to said third pontoon to vary the position of said third pontoon relative to said first and second pontoons in such a manner that all of said pontoons may be disposed in parallel relation in all varied positions.

5. A trolling device comprising first and second pontoons connected together by spaced parallel first elongated rods, a third pontoon connected to said first and second pontoons by second elongated rods, a tow line for securing said first pontoon to a support, a trolling line adapted to be secured to the support, and means for retaining said trolling line on said third pontoon, said third pontoon being provided with a pair of spaced fasteners, and said second rods being selectively connected to said fasteners, said first, second and third pontoons being identical.

6. A trolling device comprising first, second and third pontoons, means on said first pontoon for connecting the same to a support, means on said third pontoon for retaining a trolling line thereon, means rigidly connecting said first and second pontoons to one another, and further means rigidly connecting said third pontoon to said first and second pontoons, said third pontoon having a pair of spaced fasteners, and said further means being selectively secured in varying relations to said fasteners whereby the relative positions of said pontoons may be 5 6 varied with respect to one another to vary the direction 2,1G6,432 Mcintyre Jan. 25, 1938 of pull on the trolling line. 2,327,789 Hixon Aug. 24, 1943 2,351,542 Paull June 13, 1944 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,532,754 Kahler Jan, 15, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,597,288 Caldwell May 20, 1952 1,038,676 Stevens Sept. 17, 1912 

